Let Me Pretend
by RenRenTheGreat
Summary: For one day, can we just pretend? Pretend for a moment that we're more than best friends. Let me be happy, just for today. And I know that, come tomorrow, I’ll only want more but I need to know what it feels like to be loved by you. Happy Zemyx Day!


Yes, behold what I come up with on such a magical day as 6/9 ;D I even had a party to celebrate its awesome-ness

Yes, behold what I come up with on such a magical day as 6/9 ;D I even had a party to celebrate its awesome-ness. With a 6/9 cake. Yeah, I'm a loser… But it was a yummy cake! Yaaay cake.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but all three games, a CoM strategy guide (that I never used but is still sitting around in my room) and the wonderful Demyx plushie my friend made for me for my birthday. Yay plushies!

Let's Pretend

To say that Zexion was upset would be an understatement. To say that he was ready to tear Axel's head off and throw it in an active volcano would also be an understatement. Simply put, the usually quiet student had been thrown into a fit of rage, you know, the type that usually ends up with missing bodies and blown up buildings. That rage.

So he sat in his room, silently plotting Axel's murder, perfectly aware that said murder would no doubt upset a certain blonde best friend of his, the start of this mess in the first place.

Everything had started four days ago, June 8th.

It was a regular Friday afternoon in Twilight Town, an average (or rather, not so average) group of friends were seated around a table, caught up in many different conversations over their ice-creams. Summer was just around the corner, and, though usually teenagers are thrilled by that, Zexion wasn't. He was graduating, along with Riku, Axel and Demyx. And while Axel and Demyx were starting at the University not five minutes from Twilight Town, Riku was moving back to the Destiny Islands, and Zexion… Zexion was moving to Hollow Bastion, a good five hours from his current home.

It hurt that he'd be leaving his best friend of 12 years. It hurt even more knowing that Demyx would never know how he felt. But, Zexion also knew the consequences of telling the other.

"Zex? Zexi, your ice cream's melting." Demyx stating in an almost solemn state, as though he was attempting to be serious, all the while his eyes twinkling happily, "If you don't want to finish it, I'll gladly take it off your hands." Without so much of a word, Zexion slid his bowl across the table to Demyx, who anxiously began to eat.

"One of these days you'll end up fat Dem." Axel mumbled under his breath, leaning back in the seat next to Zexion, "And I'll laugh."

After a moment more of silence, Zexion slid his chair back, standing up, "I really must be studying."

"You worr-" Demyx stopped as he realized that his friend was already gone.

"Really Dem, could you have picked a stranger guy to crush on?" a certain red-head rolled his eyes. The musician blushed, attempting to tune in on whatever conversation Riku and Sora were having. "And you're terrible at ignoring people, I hope you realize." Axel's gaze fixed on Roxas for a moment before he forced himself to drag his eyes away from the blond, "Are you even going to tell him? Once September comes, chances are you'll rarely see him. Are you really willing to let him go?"

Demyx wrinkled his nose, a habit picked up from his younger brother, "Don't you think I've tried? Twilight University has a biology department just as good as whatever fancy school he's going to, and he _was_ accepted into both, but he won't listen. Its almost like he _wants_ to get away." As he spoke, Axel's hand reached out to grab that of the blond beside him, Roxas responding with an ever-so-slight smile.

"Tell him. We graduate on Thursday, time's running out. You two have been friends almost all of your lives, nothing ever seems to shock him, and quite frankly, Zex has never been one to abandon his friends."

"I can't."

"Bullshit." Axel growled, "what's the worst that can happen, he'll say sorry, he doesn't feel that way about you and you two will go back to being best friends. And who knows, maybe he likes you too, you certainly won't find out by running away." A hushed silence seemed to fall upon the entire table, causing Demyx to sink down in his seat.

"Why do you always have to talk so loudly?"

--

That Saturday, Zexion lay on his bed, AP Chemistry book open on his stomach. He didn't want to study. He didn't want to take his finals, he most certainly didn't want to graduate and move on from his current life. How he _wished_ he was a freshman again, when college had seemed so far away and the thought of leaving Demyx absolutely appalled him.

An almost impatient knocking on the front door broke Zexion from his rambling thoughts, and he could tell just by the pattern it was Demyx. After all, his best friend had knocked on the door the exact same way for as long as he could remember. He was out of his room and down the hall in an instant.

"Hey." Demyx smiled cheerfully, "You left in such a rush I didn't get a chance to talk to you."

At that Zexion couldn't help but laugh, "Dem, we had what, two out of three classes together yesterday? I don't believe you have much of a right to say we haven't talked."

"Yeah, well… If I was smart I'd think of a comeback to that, but I'm not, so have fun gloating." Demyx stuck his tongue out at the elder, folding his arms across his chest. Zexion opened his mouth to reply, only for a warm pair of lips to brush across his own. He blinked once, twice, and before he knew it, Demyx was gone.

"Dem…?"

--

He was drowning.

Demyx lay curled up on his bed, a textbook that he'd been attempting to study from wrapped in his arms. It was amazing, how he thought that everything in his life made sense, and, in one mere second that all came crashing down. He blamed Axel, for it was all his fault. Or at least, Demyx liked to think it was. Of course, it could be his fault for actually _listening_ to Axel's advice. But then again- well, now he had a headache.

Throwing the book onto the floor, Demyx closed his eyes, attempting to pretend that everything was okay, that he hadn't just messed up his life the week before he graduated. He only vaguely recognized his cell phone ringing his desk, making no move to answer it, even when Zexion's voice drifted across the voicemail.

"Hey Dem, it's me. Listen I- I need to talk to you, so just…. Well, you know my number." The message cut off, and Demyx once again found himself drowning in the silence of his room. He wasn't sure when his eyes had opened again, his gaze firmly fixed on the framed picture on his wall; Zexion and him. It was the first day of freshman year, and Demyx had gotten himself horribly lost in the hallways of the high school. Zexion hadn't found him until third period when Demyx was absently playing the piano in the music room. By the time both of them showed up for lunch, Axel was halfway through his 'first day of school picture frenzy', and he refused to let anyone escape unscathed.

Ever since that day, Demyx found himself drowning the moment he heard his best friend's voice. And he had long since stopped trying to swim.

--

"Axel." The red-head didn't acknowledge the other, continuing to lay soft kisses down his younger lover's jaw, "Axel." Still no reply as their lips were meshed together, in such harmony that the two had perfected, "AXEL!" Finally Axel propped himself up, scowling down at Roxas.

"What?"

"What did you do this time?" Axel blinked, trying to recall everything that he'd said to the younger that afternoon.

"Nothing comes to mind. Why? And what's wrong with you?"

Roxas ended up scowling in return, tilting himself up on his elbows, "You don't come over to my house for no reason at all without having done something you're particularly proud of. So what is it this time? Replaced Reno's boxers with pink bunny ones? Give your grandparents the wrong time for your graduation?"

Axel pouted slightly, rolling over off of his lover, "Suddenly it's a crime to visit my boyfriend? When did this happen?"

"Just answer the question, flamer."

The senior sighed, "Fine. I got Demyx to go over and kiss Zex. Those two have been getting on my nerves." Roxas groaned.

"For once couldn't you stay out of other people's lives? I thought you learned last time when Sora chucked his lava lamp at you!" He moaned softly.

"I'll have you know that Sora is quite happy now!" Axel retorted childishly, as though he was accusing Roxas of cheating in tic-tac-toe.

Biting back a comment, Roxas squeezed his eyes shut, reaching over to grab his phone, "I swear to god Axel, if you destroy those two then you'll have hell to deal with this summer."

--

Zexion had been awaiting a call from Demyx. To pick up his phone and hear Roxas was far from what he'd been hoping for.

"I'm sorry for whatever it is Axel's done this time, he's a moron." Choosing to ignore the muffled protest from the other's line, the senior stared aimlessly at the wall.

"For once I believe something happened that _wasn't_ Axel's fault."

He could hear the surprise in the junior's voice, even over the phone, "You mean Demyx didn't kiss you?" The invisible hand reached out to grip Zexion's heart again.

"N-no. He did."

The other sighed, "I'm sorry Zex, Axel's just…"

"An idiot?" he supplied, voice soft, as though he was in a dream he didn't want to wake up from, "Yeah, I figured that out a while ago. Listen, I'd better go, I think my mom just got home." Zexion wasn't very surprised by how easily the lie slid off his tongue, after so many years denying any feelings towards Demyx he supposed he was used to not always using the truth.

"Okay, I'll see you on Monday." An almost inaudible click was heard, and Zexion let the phone slip from his hand. So it was all Axel's doing… He wasn't really surprised, though he'd never been so greatly urged to murder the red-head.

--

Before he knew it, Thursday had come. Demyx was quite surprised by how successfully he'd managed to avoid Zexion, with all the finals and graduation preparations going on, there was barely any time for him to think, let alone talk to the elder. Axel had approached him twice, and Roxas once, though neither had much chance to say anything, Demyx had always found some excuse to go running off, and suddenly it hit him. He was graduating high school. He was going off to university, and he was barely going to see Zexion and he wanted time to simply grind to a halt.

The ceremony didn't start until 7, Demyx figured he'd still have plenty of time to take one last long look around the school. There were so many memories, after four years of attending it, so many things he didn't want to leave behind. His feet ended up leading him to the music room, the very spot he'd found himself on the first day of his freshman year.

Slowly he became aware of the soft music drifting out from the room, the piano part of a duet that he was particularly fond of. A small smile crossed his lips. _Zexion_. The door creaked open, and Demyx slipped inside the room, cherishing the moment he was able to spend simply watching the fingers of a man he loved so much dance across the white and black keys. He would miss this, more than anything else. He would miss all the time they spent in here, making music together. College would be all wrong, because Demyx had always said he couldn't be a musician without his partner. Everything would be wrong.

"Dem?" he broke out of his trance-like state, finally taking Zexion's stare into account.

"I… I've been meaning to talk to you." Deliberately Demyx moved to sit next to Zexion on the piano bench, reaching out to weave their fingers together.

"Demyx…" Zexion sighed softly, and Demyx could have sworn he saw the trace of a tear run down the other's face as he moved to rest his head on Demyx's shoulder, "Please, don't say anything. For one day, can we just pretend? Let me pretend, please, just for awhile, tell myself that you love me and I'm not all alone. Pretend for a moment that we're more than best friends, that you're mine and that, come tomorrow, I'll be gone. Dem I… I love you, so much, so can't we… can't we pretend for a little while that that kiss meant more to you than it did, that it was more than just Axel's doing? Let me be happy, just for today …"

"Zexi…"

"_Please_." At that Demyx knew that there were tears in Zexion's eyes, and that terrified him, because Zexion simply did not cry. He couldn't remember a time when something upset his best friend so much as to drive him to tears, and yet, here he was, and Demyx didn't think he'd ever felt so hopeless, "Please Dem, I know I shouldn't put my wants before your own, that's not what people do when they're in love, but for so long I've sat in this room and sobbed because you're gorgeous and amazing and I _need_ to know how it would feel to be the person who was lucky enough to be loved by you."

"Zexion." Demyx released the other's hand to grip onto his shoulders, moving his friends head up so he could stare him straight in the eye, "I can't pretend."

He could feel his heart shatter in that instant as Zexion nodded, as though he'd known what the answer was going to be, and he'd already resigned himself to that, "I know."

"No, hear me out." The musician took a deep breath, his eyes fluttering shut, "I can't pretend because I don't want it to be pretend. God, Zexi, I _do_ love you. I do."

--

When Axel saw them at the graduation ceremony, he couldn't help but grin, "What did I tell you? You had nothing to worry about Dem." His hand moved to grip Roxas' "Though you are still going to get fat." He added as an after thought, not quite ready to be elbowed in the stomach by a rather unhappy senior.

"By the way, Axel, seems next year's changed. Find yourself a new roommate, man." Demyx's grin grew as he held onto Zexion tightly, leaning down to steal a kiss, "Turns out I'm taken."

End

Yeah, behold what I come up with when charged with sugar and chocolate xD I'll probably go through and edit a bunch of it later, I just wanted to get this up when it was still 6/9. I think this is the fastest I've ever written something and posted it, usually it takes me forever to finish things.


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